Each year, the National Prayer Breakfast is one of the most memorable events in our nation’s capital.  Drawing thousands of people from across the country and all over the world, it is a moment for giving thanks and celebrating God’s glory in our lives.

On February 5, I had the honor of serving as co-chairman of this year’s National Prayer Breakfast.  I presided with my colleague Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), who has served with me over the past two years as co-chairman of the Senate Prayer Breakfast.

The National Prayer Breakfast is an extension of the prayer breakfasts that meet each week in the House of Representatives and the Senate.  Like these smaller gatherings, it encourages people of different backgrounds, political ideologies, and faith traditions to come together in the spirit of religious fellowship.

I was pleased to welcome several Mississippians to take part, including Miss Mississippi Jasmine Murray, who performed “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.”  The popular Lane Chapel Quintet from Tupelo was also on hand to provide entertainment at one of the widely attended National Prayer Breakfast dinners. 

Darrell Waltrip Offers Keynote Address

More than 3,600 people gathered for the 2015 National Prayer Breakfast, including the President, who participates every year.  Every U.S. president, in fact, has attended the event since the breakfast began in 1953.  The program of hymns, prayers, and Scripture readings also includes a keynote address from a guest speaker.

This year’s keynote was delivered by legendary NASCAR driver Darrell Waltrip, who spoke from the heart about his own journey of faith and the constant spiritual encouragement of his wife, Stevie.  Although he joked he was not running for political office, he said, “I am running to something.  The Lord is a strong tower.  The righteous will run to it and be safe.” 

Ebola Survivor Prays for World Leaders

In many ways, the National Prayer Breakfast underscores this message, calling on God to watch over all of his children.  In his prayer for world leaders, Dr. Kent Brantly, one of the Ebola fighters who survived the disease, offered these words:  “Bless the leaders of the nations, Father, that they might act justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with you.”

Such blessings are certainly needed in times of great challenge.  Today’s airwaves are dominated by news reports of terrorists committing violent acts and persecuting religious minorities for what they believe.  The outpouring of goodwill and tolerance at the National Prayer Breakfast reaffirms the solidarity of faith that exists in the face of great evil.  The United States has always stood for religious liberty and should continue to do so, particularly in light of recent events in Europe and the Middle East.

We are blessed to live in a country that upholds every citizen’s freedom to pray and worship as he or she chooses.  Events like the National Prayer Breakfast would not be possible in many parts of the world.  I am thankful for my experience in helping plan this year’s inspirational event.  As Scripture says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., along with Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., will preside as co-chairman of the National Prayer Breakfast. The annual gathering in Washington, D.C. includes foreign dignitaries, members of Congress, faith leaders, and Americans from all walks of life. The president and other special guests will address approximately 3,600 attendees. The event will take place tomorrow, February 5, 2015.

“Each year, this event is one of the most special and memorable in Washington, and I am honored to be a part of it,” Wicker said. “Since 1953, the National Prayer Breakfast has exemplified and celebrated the power of prayer and fellowship in our lives.”

Wicker has served as co-chairman of the weekly Senate Prayer Breakfast with Sen. Casey over the past year.

The event will be streamed live on www.c-span.org and broadcast live on C-SPAN2 beginning at 7 a.m. CT.

The 113^th Congress ended the year and its term with a couple of important victories, many of which were long overdue.  The “National Defense Authorization Act” (NDAA), for example, provides an outline of America’s military priorities and national security interests.  Its recent passage marked 53 consecutive years of bipartisan cooperation on America’s major defense policy.

Like many of my colleagues, I am hopeful that the new Congress will find ways to work across party lines in pursuit of more legislative achievements like NDAA.  This term often fell short of that goal, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) used procedural tactics to prevent regular order and debate.  There were, however, exceptions to the frequent gridlock, and these accomplishments serve as an appropriate starting point for moving forward.

Legislative highlights of 2014 include: 

• A long-awaited upgrade for America’s ports and waterways.  In May, Congress passed the final version of the “Water Resources Development Act,” a comprehensive bill to ensure navigable waterways and modernized ports.  The legislation, which had not been reauthorized in seven years, is a big win for Mississippi, supporting improvements to our state’s water infrastructure as well as restoration projects along the Gulf Coast.  It also increases the funding available for maintenance dredging, which is urgently needed at ports across the country. 

• Important reforms to veteran care.   Following reports of widespread misconduct at VA hospitals across the country, Congress passed legislation to improve veterans’ quality of care and restore accountability.  The new law allows veterans to seek medical care outside the VA system if they cannot get an appointment within 30 days or if they live more than 40 miles from a VA facility.  It also empowers the VA Secretary to demote or fire employees for wrongdoing or poor performance.

• Support for a highly skilled and competitive U.S. workforce.  With 9 million Americans unemployed, job training and education programs are critical to matching employers’ needs with skilled workers.  Congress enacted the “Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act” with this in mind, reauthorizing effective “one-stop” career assistance centers across the nation.  The legislation also eliminates ineffective or duplicative federal job training programs, streamlining the system and reducing government waste.

• A stronger fight against muscular dystrophy.  As the author of the original “MD CARE Act” in 2001, I was thrilled when the “MD CARE Act Amendments of 2014” became law in September.  The legislation, which I introduced with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), builds on the progress we have made by allowing researchers to focus on multiple forms of muscular dystrophy.  It also removes restrictions on pediatric research, enabling medical professionals to address the needs and challenges of older patients.

• More stability for America’s farmers.  Mississippi is home to more than 42,000 farms, supporting an industry that remains the state’s largest job creator and a massive part of our local economy.  The new “Farm Bill,” officially titled the “Agricultural Act of 2014,” will help our farmers and ranchers stay competitive by providing certainty about the nation’s agriculture policy over the next five years.  It also makes sensible reforms to the food stamp program, cutting government spending by billions of dollars. 

The 114^th Congress has an opportunity to build on these successes and learn from past mistakes.  After years of political brinkmanship, Americans expect responsible governing from their elected officials.  With the economy still weak and national priorities in need of constructive solutions, the coming year needs to be one of action.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, today led a bipartisan effort calling on Secretary of State John Kerry to assist religious minorities facing persecution in Syria and Iraq, such as Christians and Yazidis, to find refuge in the United States. The Senators also urged the State Department to provide these minorities with better access to U.S. humanitarian aid.

“The oppression of Christians and other religious minorities in Syria and Iraq has led to an unspeakable humanitarian crisis,” Wicker said. “Tens of thousands have had to flee their homes to seek sanctuary from the Islamic State – whose savage treatment of these people is well-documented. The United States has historically protected minorities facing similar circumstances. We should do so again now.”

“We have an obligation to stand up for human rights,” Brown said. “The U.S. has pledged humanitarian assistance for relief in Iraq and Syria, and that should include refugee assistance for persecuted religious minorities facing persecution.”

The Senators’ letter specifically calls for “the creation of a Priority 2 (P-2) group under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for religious minorities from Iraq and Syria.”

This new classification would provide a process for Christians, Alawites, Druze, Yazidis, and others to be considered for resettlement in the United States. In the past, this designation has been used for groups of humanitarian concern, including religious minorities from the former Soviet Union, Cuba, and Iran.

Wicker and Brown were joined in their letter by Senators Dan Coats, R-Ind., Carl Levin, D-Mich., James Inhofe, R-Okla., John Thune, R-S.D., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Mark Kirk, R-Ill.

The full text of the letter:

December 16, 2014

The Honorable John F. Kerry
Secretary of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Secretary Kerry,

We write to encourage you to take expeditious action to protect Christians and other vulnerable religious minorities from the unprecedented level of violence in Iraq and Syria.

The creation of a Priority 2 (P-2) group under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for religious minorities from Iraq and Syria would provide a structured process for Christians, Alawites, Druze, Yazidis, and others to be considered for resettlement in the United States. This designation has been used for groups of humanitarian concern, including religious minorities from the former Soviet Union, Cuba, and Iran.  Although the Administration has announced that it will create more places for Syrian refugees, we have not stated that religious minorities such as Christians will be considered for admission to the United States.

Religious minorities also have difficulty accessing humanitarian assistance due to the hostility and discrimination that they face from other citizens, including other refugees.  The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has acknowledged that religious minorities avoid camps for this reason. As such, we encourage you to direct the U.S. Agency for International Development to ensure that religious minorities have sufficient access to the nearly $2 billion in aid that the United States has pledged for humanitarian relief efforts in Iraq and Syria.

Religious cleansing has reached historic levels in the Middle East.  Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria in 2011, President Bashar al-Assad, Syrian rebels, and terrorist groups have targeted religious minorities for violence.  In Iraq, Christians, Yazidis, and Mandeans have lived in fear of terrorist groups for the last decade.  Now, the brutal Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has openly vowed to end the existence of religious minorities in the Middle East. Accordingly, we urge you to act swiftly to help protect religious minorities in Iraq and Syria.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Senator Roger Wicker
Senator Sherrod Brown
Senator Dan Coats
Senator Carl Levin
Senator James Inhofe
Senator John Thune
Senator Marco Rubio
Senator Rob Portman
Senator Mark Kirk